Ms. Jaclyn Stiegert--Science Department--Planet Travel Brochure

  

NASA'S Mars Exploration Rover Spirit captured this westward view from atop a low plateau where Sprit spent the closing months of 2007.

http://science.nasa.gov/planetary-science/focus-areas/

Library Resources

Gale Student Resource Center Junior

Virtual Reference Collection

eLibrary Science
ProQuest K12

Online Catalog

Academic Intergrity
NoodleTools Citations System
Citation Machine
Parenthetical Citations

Websites
Brainpop
Nasa-Solar System Exploration
National Geographic-Solar System
Windows to the Universe-Our Solar System

Date Due:     Wednesday February 13th

My assigned planet is ___________________________
Overview: You will write a travel brochure to inform potential visitors about your planet.

Project Requirements:

I will give you an 8x14 (legal) piece of paper.  Fold it into 4^ths (hot dog style.)  This will give you 8 sections (front and back.) 

Section 1:

Name of your planet, your name and a drawing of your planet’s appearance. (You may use a photograph or artists rendition, but remember to cite your source)

Section 2:

Position in the Solar System:  Where is your planet located (for example, Earth is the third planet from the Sun)?  How far from the Sun does it orbit? 

Orbit:  How long does it take for your planet to orbit the Sun?  (This is one year on Earth.)  Is its orbit unusual?

Rotation on its Axis:  How long does it take for your planet to rotate on its own axis?  (This is one day on Earth.)

Appearance of your Planet:  What does your planet look like?  Are there any special things on your planet?

BE SPECIFIC!

Section 3:

Size:  How big is your planet?  How does it rate in terms of the other planets in terms of size (is it the biggest, the smallest)? Mass: What is your planet’s mass?  How does its mass rate in terms of the other planets (is it the biggest, the smallest)?

Moons:  If there are moons orbiting your planet, describe each of them and when they were discovered.

Rings:  If there are rings orbiting your planet, describe them and when they were discovered.

BE SPECIFIC!

Section 4:

Composition of your Planet:  What type of planet is it (is it rocky or a gas planet)?  What is its internal composition?

Gravity:  What is the force of gravity at the surface your planet?  (For example, what would a 100-pound person weigh on your planet)?

Atmosphere:  What is the composition of the atmosphere of your planet?  Is it a thick or a thin atmosphere?

Temperature:  What is the temperature range on your planet?  How does this compare to the temperature on Earth? 

BE SPECIFIC!

Section 5:

Discovery of your Planet:

The planets that are not visible using the naked eye were discovered after the invention of the telescope (these are Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.)  Tell when your planet was discovered and by whom.  Is there anything interesting about how your planet was discovered?  BE SPECIFIC!

Section 6:

How would a Human Being live on your planet: 

On your planet, would a person choke in the atmosphere, be squashed by the extreme gravity, float with ease, freeze, burn up, or something else?  Be CREATIVE in how you describe this, but SPECIFIC, as well.

Section 7:

Something Special:

Is there anything special about your planet?  This can often be the best part of this brochure, taking you off on interesting topics.  For example, are there 100-year long storms on your planet?  Are there giant volcanoes?  Does your planet have a very titled axis (giving it extreme seasons)?  Have spacecraft visited your planet?  If so, what have they discovered?  Is you planet in an orbit with another solar body? 

 BE CREATIVE.

Section 8:

Cite your references (Bibliography). You must have at LEAST 5 REFERENCES!

List all of your references in appropriate format (see below.)

Formats for each type of publication follows (there are different formats for different types of media):

•           Internet:        Author(s) if appropriate.  Title of site or web page.  URL of site, date of publication (the earliest copyright year listed).

            ZoomAstronomy.com would be cited as follows:

            Col, Jeananda.  ZoomAstronomy.com.  http://www.ZoomAstronomy.com 1999.

•           Book:  Author(s). Title of book.  Location of publisher:  Name of Publisher, year of publication.

            Simon, Seymour.  Destination:  Jupiter.  New York:  Harper Trophy, 2000.

•           Encyclopedia:  Title of encyclopedia, volume of encyclopedia used.  Location of publisher:  Name of publisher, year of publication, pages where the article is located.

            Britannica Editors.  Encyclopedia Britannica, Volume 1.  London, Encyclopdia Britannica, Inc.,  pages 245-256.

•           Magazine or journal:  Author(s).  “Title of article.”  Name of magazine, Volume, Issue (date):  pages where the article is located.

Lemonick, Michael D.  “Souped Up Telescope.”  Time, Volume 170, October 8, 2007:  pages 25-28.

Author(s) are listed:  last name, first name or initials

A book cart is available for student use.

Bibliography Sorted by Title / Author. 523.5 KOP Koppes, Steven N. Killer rocks from outer space : asteroids, comets, and meteorites. Minneapolis, MN : Lerner Publications, c2004. Recognizing meteorites and impact craters -- Identifying impact scars -- Impact and the dinosaurs -- Impact and periodic mass extinctions -- Impact, the planets, and the origin of life on earth -- The continuing threat -- Defending planet earth. Describes the role that collisions with meteors, comets, and asteroids have played in the history of Earth and other planets in the solar system and examines what is being done to protect Earth from future collisions. SC LIF Life on Mars : tales from the new frontier : an original science fiction anthology. New York : Viking, 2011. Attlee and the long walk / by Kage Baker -- The old man and the Martian Sea / by Alastair Reynolds -- Wahala / by Nnedi Okorafor -- On Chryse Plain / by Stephen Baxter -- First principle / by Nancy Kress -- Martian chronicles / by Cory Doctorow -- Goodnight moons / by Ellen Klages -- The taste of promises / by Rachel Swirsky -- Digging / by Ian McDonald -- LARP on Mars / by Chris Roberson -- Martian heart / by John Barnes -- Untitled story / by Garth Nix -- Discovering life / by Kim Stanley Robinson. A collection of thirteen stories that explore the possibility of life on Mars. 576.8 DON Donald, Rhonda Lucas, 1962-. Life on other planets. New York : Franklin Watts, c2003. Is anybody out there? -- Extreme living -- Looking for "neighbors" -- Beyond our solar system -- Little green men?. A comprehensive look at the question of whether there is life on other planets, from the imaginative visions of fantasy novels and science fiction movies to the facts revealed by today's cutting-edge technology. 629.43 COL Cole, Michael D. Living on Mars : mission to the Red Planet. Springfield, NJ : Enslow, c1999. Describes the landing of Sojourner on Mars, summarizes the history of information gathering missions, and speculates about future plans for explorations of the Red Planet. 523.45 SPA Spangenburg, Ray, 1939-. A look at Jupiter. New York : F. Watts, c2001. Provides a description of Jupiter, and looks at what scientists have discovered about the planet and its moons. 523.43 SPA Spangenburg, Ray, 1939-. A look at Mars. New York : F. Watts, c2000. Discusses the history of human ideas about Mars, its geology and moons, missions to the Red Planet, and the possibility of life on Mars. 523.41 SPA Spangenburg, Ray, 1939-. A look at Mercury. New York : F. Watts, c2003. Describes the discovery and observation of the planet nearest the sun, Mercury, including the findings of the Mariner 10 fly-by mission of 1974-75. 523.48 TAB Tabak, John. A look at Neptune. New York : F. Watts, c2003. Describes the discovery and observation of the planet Neptune and what has been learned about it, particularly from the Voyager spacecraft mission. 523.46 SPA Spangenburg, Ray, 1939-. A look at Saturn. New York : F. Watts, c2001. Provides a description of Saturn, and looks at what scientists have learned from their study of the planet. 523.47 TOC Tocci, Salvatore. A look at Uranus. New York : F. Watts, c2003. Looks at the history and discovery of the planet Uranus. 523.42 SPA Spangenburg, Ray, 1939-. A look at Venus. New York : F. Watts, c2001. Provides a description of Venus, and looks at how scientists have studied the planet. 523.2 NEW New views of the solar system. Chicago : Encyclopedia Britannica, c2007. Explores scientists' evolving perception of the solar system, discussing the eight chief planets, dwarf planets, and Pluto and presenting photos and illustrations of planets, comets, asteroids, and other bodies in space, and includes a list of further resources. 523 WIT Wittenstein, Vicki O., 1954-. Planet hunter : Geoff Marcy and the search for other Earths. 1st ed. Honesdale, Pa. : Boyds Mills Press, c2010. Discusses the life and work of American astronomer Geoff Marcy, including his discovery of over seventy extrasolar planets, and covers how Marcy and other scientists continue to develop innovations to help in their quest, which may include finding a planet that could harbor life. 523.2 Chown, Marcus. Solar system : a visual exploration of the planets, moons, and other heavenly bodies that orbit our sun. New York : Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers, c2011. Provides an overview of each planet, arranged by distance from the sun; looks at dwarf planets, the sun, moons, asteroids, and comets; and features a variety of related images. 520 STO Stott, Carole. Stars & planets. Boston : Kingfisher, 2005. Presents full-color illustrated photographs and drawings about the solar system and the mysteries of space and includes information on the Hubble and Spitzer telescopes, missions to Mars, space robots, and more.